Shall we all let out a communal sigh of relief that the walls aren’t covered in wallpaper anymore and there are no more spackle holes and raw drywall from under those cabinets that we removed? Together now. Ahhhhh.

Update: There have been a few questions about the intercom and why we didn’t remove it yet, but we’re not sure if we’re going to retofit that with another system (maybe that plays an ipod in each room or something) so for now we’re planning to cover that whole wall with a nice framed out pinboard or something – so it’ll be hidden but the wiring will still be there for a future conversion.

Getting to this was a bit more involved than just getting our paint on, though. For instance, you may have noticed that our big over-the-range microwave is now missing from the scene.

It’s the only appliance we’ve planned to replace as part of our Phase 1 kitchen makeover, since it was so front & center in the room, it crowded our stove, and we always seem to prefer range hoods over microwaves with vents when it comes to performance. So we’ve replaced it with a stainless countertop version that we’ll eventually get “installed” into our pantry (which just calls for an outlet to be added in there so we can plug it in). It was just $78 at Home Depot (marked down from $139!) and that pantry solution isn’t just for phase 1, so we’re planning on using it for the long haul, even after Phase 2, which is nice.

Removing the old one wasn’t 100% straightforward, but we managed. We had to unscrew it from above through the upper cabinet, but the screw was recessed a few inches below the cabinet, so our drill barely reached. Since it was so dark down there, we ended up breaking out the oh-so-thin battery-powered fairy lights from Clara’s Halloween costume to provide some much-needed illumination. #MacGyvering

I supported the cabinet from below the whole time so when it eventually came lose from the screws that Sherry was removing from above, I could guide it down safely. That puppy was not light. Probably all the dried food splatters inside wiring and stuff.

Once we unscrewed the mounting bracket from behind the microwave, we also had this old vinyl backsplash to scrape off the wall. We knew we’d prefer a seamless painted wall back there for this phase of the kitchen’s transformation since we actually had a painted wall behind our first house’s fully renovated kitchen, and it held up well thanks to the paint being nice and wipeable – even with spaghetti splatters a plenty.

The pliable sheet of vinyl came off really easily (Sherry just used a spackle knife to pry it off) but it left the wall pretty pock-marked behind it. Thankfully it wasn’t anything a little spackle couldn’t handle.

We already had the spackle out because there were plenty of holes around the room to be filled (and sanded once dry). This is a terrible iPhone pic, but you can kind of see the extent to which some of the walls were nail-holed. We’re talking 20 in a three foot radius.

We finished all of our patching right before heading off on a whirlwind road trip to New Jersey for Thanksgiving, so it wasn’t until we got back on Friday afternoon that we could bust out the primer for our first coat (which is what many of you saw in our Instagram feed that evening).

Even though we were painting a light color over an already light wall, we chose to do a primer coat first for two reasons:

The areas behind the cabinets that we took down had never been primed or painted, and it’s always good to prime drywall before painting it.

Walls that haven’t been painted for several years may soak up more paint (as we experienced when painting Clara’s room) and we’d rather it soak up extra primer instead, since it’s cheaper than paint (one coat of primer + two coats of paint is almost always cheaper than three coats of paint because you usually need to buy more than one gallon of paint for more than two coats).

We knocked out our primer coat during Clara’s nap that afternoon using our usual Sherry-cuts-in / John-rolls system, which took the room from this…

…to this. Don’t mind the piles of stuff that we shifted to the center of the room, away from the walls. But much better, right?

That photo was taken Saturday morning, right before we broke out the Nelson Blue paint.

One thing we did to make our job (well, Sherry’s job) a bit easier was that we strategically taped off a few tight spots. Since it’s hard to squeeze into the gap between two doors, for example, we put tape along the edge of the door frame to protect the face of the molding from getting paint on it. It meant that Sherry could focus on making sure she got full coverage on the wall without worrying about messing up the crisp white molding next to it. And in less tight spaces, she’s great at just freehanding things (seven years of being the cutter-inner in the relationship can do that to ya).

We also decided to paint a couple of the eyesores in the room – like the yellowed doorbell box and an old phone jack next to the intercom box, which you can see two pictures down.

We originally worried the Nelson Blue was a bit too faint, but it definitely showed up a bit more distinctly once it began to dry.

We love the color. In fact, it almost feels like a nod back to our first kitchen’s wall color – although this one is a bit lighter and has more green to it, and the horizontal paneling around the bottom half of the room adds a little something extra. I’ll admit it’s a bit hard to fully appreciate the new color while the room is held back by things like the countertops, the cabinets, and the floor (we’re definitely in that “middle” stage, so it should start making more sense as we tackle other things on our list).

And we can definitely celebrate the fact that we’re a nice looooong way from where we started.

When you look at it from certain angles, you can almost trick yourself into thinking the room is a lot closer to done. For instance, the view from the front door is much improved.

And the little breakfast area is shaping up to be a nice combination of white trim + horizontal planking + blue walls + rustic wood. Just ignore the big intercom on the wall and the fake brick floor, mmkay?

So here’s what our kitchen to-do list is looking like now. We’ve officially crossed 9 things off and have 9 more to go… some of which are a lot easier than the nine we’ve already done (switching out lights and hanging shelves are a welcome relief after all this priming and painting – although that 15th bullet is going to be a multi-step multi-day extravaganza).

Remove wallpaper

Move fridge cabinet forward

Remove upper cabinets on window wall to prep for open shelves

Reinstall crown molding (you can read about how we did those first four things here)

Prime & paint the pantry and the door to the garage

Prime & paint the trim, crown molding, & baseboards

Prime & paint the paneling (you can read about how we did those last three things here)

Prime and paint the walls

Remove the existing microwave (craigslist it?) and get a countertop one we can eventually install in the pantry

Install a cheap range hood (we’ve seen some like this for $20 on craigslist) to lighten up that wall

Patch and paint the ceiling

Replace the florescent light in the cooking area and the pendant over the sink

Replace and center the light over the dining table

Hang floating shelves on the window wall

Paint the cabinets (you can see the colors we’re leaning towards here)

Update the old cabinet hinges and knobs

Get a rug for eat-in area? Possibly install peel and stick tiles everywhere?

Curtains for windows?

*To read why we’ve chosen these steps for Phase 1 (for example, why we’re painting the cabinets, why we’re not going to attempt to paint the linoleum, and what’s on the agenda for Phase 2) there’s lots of background info in this post for ya.

How was everyone else’s Thanksgiving weekend? From the Instagram comments we got, it sounds like lots of you were using the extra days to accomplish some stuff around the house. Meanwhile I’m still trying to shake off the last vestiges of my food coma. Too. Many. Rolls.

PS – As an extension of Small Business Saturday, a great local bookstore here in Richmond called Chop Suey Books is offering 10% off signed copies of our book until December 8th. Just call them at 804-422-8066 or email them at [email protected] to get your copy (they’re happy to ship internationally).

Comments

Great transformation – with the upper cabinets removed and that long wall painted all one color, it really looks bigger and brighter. I love the color too! Just enough of a contrast with the white paneling below.

I think it might have some matte wax on it so it looks and feels raw but doesn’t stain, at least so far it has been great! We heard from someone who spilled red wine on hers and dabbed it up and in the morning it was gone!

Wow, this looks great! I can really picture it now. I’m glad you’ve decided to go for coloured cabinets as opposed to white ones in this kitchen (for phase 1, anyway), it’s so much lighter than your other kitchen so I think it works. And that floor looks so much better with the new wall colour. I’m a fan!

Very nice! But I’m surprised that you left the intercom and (what appears to be a) phone jack on the back wall. Does the intercom work/do you intend to keep it? And do you plan to use the phone jack in the future?

I really love how nicely the new wall color goes w/ the tiles in your foyer :) I know ya’ll haven’t made a final decision about those tiles yet, but it must be nice that in the meantime, they look a lot more cohesive!

Oh yes, we’re planning no other major appliance purchases until Phase 2 when we can research and invest in long-term things. For now we’ve found a $25 range hood on craigslist that we can use for the time being and craigslist for $25 down the line when we replace it for Phase 2. More details when we pick it up and install it!

Love the new paint color. I still think I need to repaint our dark dining room a light color like yours! One question (and maybe I missed it already): why don’t you take down the old intercom fixture if you’re not going to use it? Maybe it’s too difficult to do or something. Since you usually say to “ignore it”, I was just wondering.

We’re not sure if we’re going to retofit that with another system (maybe that plays an ipod in each room or something) so for now we’re planning to cover that whole wall with a nice framed out pinboard or something – so it’ll be hidden but the wiring will still be there for a future conversion.

Over the long weekend, I kept moving on my craft room. I have one coat of Edgecomb Gray on the walls so far and it is reading so. gray. Its amazing how even a big swatch can have such beige undertones but on every surface read straight-up gray. I’m gonna go with it and keep layering things in. Hopefully it works out!

Super big ahhhhh. I definitely see a modern Scandinavian feel developing in your kitchen which is what I love and am working towards in mine as well. The bowl of succulents really pops now on the table, funny how small details can become big elements when the background color changes. I like a fresh aire blue in the kitchen, I’ve used BM Spring Mint which is also pale / “just there” … funny, I recall hearing on “Design Star” once that blue is an unappetizing color and therefore not one that works in a kitchen. Just proves that there’s no “rule” that works all the time!

Thanks Katie! I think we’ve been leaning towards big dark tiles (heated, wahoo!) so we’ll have to bring home some samples when it comes that that phase and see what we like! We want to run them into the kitchen too, so it’ll probably be in a year or two but I can’t wait!

Looks great! A huge improvement. But are you sure you want to paint the cabinets still? I actually like the grain of the wood now that the walls and trim have been painted. If it were me (and I know you’re not asking) I would replace the flooring and countertops before painting the cabinets, I think. But I’m sure they will be gorgeous whatever you do, as always!

Question about cutting in – I have the short handled brush as well and have attempted to cut in without taping off. But I find that there are some bristles that stick out and just inadvertently paints the trim or whatever edge that it’s next to. What do you do about those, cut them off?

Oh yes, I’d just trim those off if you see them. Usually I try to keep them happy (yes, I try to keep my brushes happy) by washing them well and letting them dry flat on the counter so the bristles hopefully stay in alignment for the most part.

Sherry, maybe sometime you could do a post on how you guys wash your brushes and keep your painting tools in good shape? I never seem to get the job done right and end up having to buy new brushes all the time! I bet a lot of us could benefit from that (and could also be a great stockpile post for when the Bun comes along and you’re super busy). The kitchen looks great btw! That breakfast nook shot makes me want to have a cup of coffee and gaze out the window pretending I actually have a breakfast nook.

Thanks Sapphira! I just use water for anything latex (even this primer) and wait until the water runs clear. Probably takes 5 mins per brush (if you only take 1-2 mins it’s not really clean and get crunchy and firm when it dries). For oil-based I use mineral spirits, but that’s pretty rare these days, so usually it’s just water and time. Rinsing it over and over again. I should make a quick video for you if I remember!

Looks awesome! the window/trim/paneling paint job you guys did totally helped motivate me and my manfriend to “get on that already” with our front picture window. it has 20 panes, and is basically floor to ceiing. After 3.5 years I finally have the confidence in my painting skills to tackle such a daunting process. I am one coat of primer, and one coat of paint down. probably two more coats of paints- takes about two hours for one coat- and i kept thinking of your comment about how much ITS WORTH IT!
while i was tackling that project in the living room, the dude was installing shoe molding in the family room and kitchen. #makinggains #crossingthingsofflistsfeelssogood
sherry- you dont use the plastic liners in your little red handy painter pail?

I do use those when I have them around. So helpful! Otherwise I just let it dry out in the garage and then peel out the paint (so satisfying, it’s like peeling Elmer’s Glue off your hand as a child… or was I the only one to do that?).

Wow, I could look at the before-and-after pictures all day long. And the pic from the front hallway just makes me sigh with how mellow and beautiful it is. I chose a very similar color for my kitchen and living room 2 years ago, Behr’s Limelight. It’s a blue shade but definitely has green in it like you mentioned. It’s such a great shade for subtle contrast with white and greige. Enjoy! It’s beautiful.

love the blue! and it does make the wood cabinets look great. and because im feeling punchy this morning i just keep chanting, “hanging boob light!!” i forgot those existed :) looking forward to a new light over the table? :)

YESSSS! Those can’t be gone fast enough. The funny thing is we think the hanging boob was purchased for resale (the other lights everywhere in this house look very old, but that one looks new-ish so we think the old light over the eating area was perhaps sentimental and they left this dangling boob light in it’s place ;)

Guys, I really love the dark cabinets. Would you consider rethinking and leaving them? I think they look awesome with the light walls. 80s ranch retro…definitely the next big thing! ;) Seriously, I love them. An unexpected and bold choice…just think about it!

Aw thanks Jami! If you check out this post you’ll see why we can’t just leave them (in the detail photos at the end). Up close they’re in pretty bad shape. We love the idea of leaving them dark on the bottom though, so we won’t lose that contrast and depth of the dark tone.

The kitchen is so bright, I gotta wear shades!! (an 80’s song reference in case you’re too young to have heard it.)
Two questions though… You just primed and painted the doorbell? No special DIY magic? And thirdly, why are there fairy lights with your cookbooks?
Sorry, totally lied. Three questions.

As a child of the 80s, I’m fully in on that eighties reference. High fives! As for the fairy lights, we mentioned those in the post (they’re battery powered, and they helped me see that screw that was recessed – without them I was going in blind). As for the doorbell, yup, just primer + paint. Hope it helps!

It looks so much bigger in there! It’s amazing what paint can do to a room’s perceived ‘size’ without having to move any walls.

Question: is there a specific reason you painted the walls before the ceiling (it’s uncrossed on your to-do list)? I’d always learned to do ceilings first to avoid any accidental sprinkles/splatters on the walls and baseboard that can come with rolling overhead.

We just were done living with those walls with the unpainted square and those spackle marks. Technically it’s nice to do trim, ceilings, and them walls (so nothing from the ceiling drips on the walls) but we’re pretty neat painters and have done ceilings afterwards a bunch of times, so it was just about getting some color up and losing those crazy blotches of spackle and unprimed drywall that plagued us.

That sounds like it could be a pressure thing. If you’re pushing too firmly on the roller it can spray (or if you have too much paint, but it doesn’t sound like that’s your issue) so I’d try just not pressing as firmly or going as fast, to hopefully cut down on that.

I can’t believe how amazing it looks already and you haven’t even painted the cabinets!!! It looks SO much bigger and more airy. What a relief for you! I can’t believe you are doing this in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. You guys are crazy but are such an inspiration. I want to paint my kitchen now.

I can’t believe how much you get done so quickly, either, and always big projects around the holidays! We are hosting a Christmas party this weekend and want my kitchen re-painted, up for the challenge? Oh and minor detail, I’m up in MI, lol!

So I have been super busy, but I still wanted to mail a letter for your bulletin board in the hospital. Are you still accepting them?

I hope that you had a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving, it sure looked like you did on your Instagram, and I can’t wait to find out the gender of the little bun soon! I know that I’ve said this, but I have a feeling that it’s going to be a boy. :)

Great progress guys! Feels so good to get such major things accomplished :) I can’t wait to see the cabinets done. We want to do some major changes to the kitchen too and want to start with the walls and cabinets but just can’t figure out colors. I change my mind every day *sigh*. We were at a wedding in DC this weekend and as we were driving down, I started to see the Richmond signs and told my husband: that’s where my Internet friends are from (he’s terrible with names so saying John and Sherry or YHL usually results in blank stares). He got all excited and said: oh, we should go visit them! To which I replied: aside from the fact that Richmond is like 2 hours further south, how would you react if two complete strangers showed up at our door gawking like idiots? He was like, good point, guess you’ll just have to continue reading the blog. :-)

*sigh* I don’t know how y’all do it. I’ve been slapping paint samples on my kitchen walls for months. I am so scared of colors. Just when I think I’ve found a color, I notice it looks different in different light, and it’s back to the drawing board. Your kitchen looks fantastic so far – looking forward to seeing more progress.